The University of Maryland at College Park (UMCP) is the flagship institution of the University of Maryland System. As the comprehensive public research university for the State of Maryland and the original 1862 land grant institution in Maryland, UMCP has the responsibility within the UMS for serving as the state's primary center for graduate study and research, advancing knowledge through research, providing high quality undergraduate instruction across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, and extending service to all regions of the state.

   As a constituent institution of the University of Maryland System, UMCP cooperates with other educational segments in Maryland and collaborates with other UMS institutions to provide citizens access to high quality educational services and to meet the economic and cultural needs of Maryland. Because excellence knows no distinctions of race, culture, or gender, UMCP has made the diversity of its human resources and educational opportunities a distinguishing characteristic of its institutional identity.

   A member of the Association of American Universities, UMCP aspires to become one of the nation's preeminent public research universities within the next decade. This aspiration is consistent with the 1988 Higher Education Reorganization Act, which mandates that UMCP: (1) "serve the state with programs and faculty nationally recognized for excellence in research;" (2) admit as freshmen highly qualified students who have academic profiles that suggest exceptional ability, and provide access...for students who have excelled in completing lower division studies;" and (3) receive "the level of operating funding and facilities necessary to place it among the upper echelon of its peer institutions."

   In accordance with its mandate for excellence, UMCP appoints faculty possessing the highest qualifications in their fields. Each tenure-track and tenured faculty member is expected to be continually and effectively engaged in research, teaching, and service. The University's reward structure reflects this expectation.

   A number of journals and professional organizations are located at UMCP, and faculty play leading roles in international scientific, educational, and research organizations. UMCP faculty regularly receive prestigious fellowships and awards for independent study from various foundations and granting agencies, and each year many faculty are honored for their record of achievement and outstanding contributions to their fields.

   Current Carnegie classification: Research Universities

II. Constituencies Served

   UMCP admits to its undergraduate programs highly qualified students from all parts of Maryland, other states, and from around the world. It recruits graduate students both nationally and internationally. Operating with the highest admission standards in the UMS, it enrolls a highly diverse student body.

   UMCP provides services to the state's agricultural, industrial and commercial communities; K through 12 school systems; federal, state, and local governmental agencies; and members of the general public. Through its research programs, UMCP advances knowledge for the benefit of the state, the nation, and the world. The primary source of support for sponsored research is the federal government, with NASA, NSF, and the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, and Energy providing the largest shares.

   Within Maryland, UMCP faculty and staff provide many forms of technical assistance to state and local governmental bodies and educational systems, outreach programs in support of technology transfer, agriculture and business, and in-service or continuing education programs in areas such as computer science, engineering, business, journalism, and education. Graduate and professional training programs are delivered to all parts of the state through instructional television facilities. Key roles in UMCP's service efforts are played by the Engineering Research and Systems Research Centers, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Center for Quality and Productivity. Assistance in invention disclosure and the creation of technology-transfer agreements is provided by the Office of Technology Liaison.

III. Academic Program Emphasis

   UMCP awards baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, social sciences, the arts, applied areas, and in selected professional fields. It offers certificates in selected upper-level and graduate courses of study, and provides opportunities for honors work through University Honors and departmental honors programs. Many of UMCP's departments enjoy national and international reputations for the quality of their faculty, programs, and graduates. The research expertise of the faculty affords many opportunities for undergraduates to study with faculty recognized as leading figures in their fields of study.

   Priority academic programs include the core arts and sciences, engineering, business, journalism, environmental sciences, public policy and international affairs. This determination reflects assessments of society's knowledge base and educational expertise requirements for the 21st century, faculty research capabilities, opportunities for collaboration with government agencies and research centers, the potential for cross-disciplinary cooperation, and the levels of funding needed to establish programs of distinction.

   UMCP is one of the nation's leading public research universities, conducting important research in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, engineering, and many other disciplines.

IV. Collaborative Efforts within the System

   UMCP provides administrative support to other UMS institutions in the areas of accounting, personnel management, purchasing, communications, engineering and architectural services, and environmental safety. It also collaborates with University College in programs and projects. A number of joint instructional programs are conducted with UMAB, UMBC, and UMES, and faculty from UMS institutions participate in various UMCP research initiatives. College Park faculty also participate in the work of the System's research institutions. UMCP and UMES cooperate in serving the state's agricultural needs through the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). UMCP library and computer systems serve as information hubs for institutions throughout the System.

V. Short Term Goals and Priorities

   UMCP is currently making a concerted effort to: (1) achieve greater academic excellence in selected areas while continuing its commitment to the great diversity reflected among its staff, students, and faculty; (2) enhance the quality of its undergraduate educational programs; (3) increase the number of exceptionally well-prepared students admitted to the institution; (4) modernize its instructional and research facilities; and (5) expand and improve its service programs to the state. These initiatives are the major themes of the UMCP enhancement plan, approved by MHEC in 1990 and reaffirmed in "Investing in People: The Maryland Plan for Postsecondary Education."

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